Changing of the Guard
by WhitePrimordial
Summary: A highly trained team of Republic Shadow Troopers uncover a terrible plot and try to survive in a quickly changing galaxy.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I own none of the following, all work is purely fan fiction, the likeness of Star Wars is owned by LucasFilm and Disney. None of the following is canon; everything is based off of actual Star Wars cannon.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

CHAPTER ONE: Old Habits Die Hard

Jabiim - Phelleem Sector: Outer Rim (04:00 / 19 BBY)

 _Rain, always with the damn rain._

I couldn't actually tell if I was in the right spot or not, but what I did know was even after serving in this mud hole for six months, I was still no closer to getting over having my damn boots fill with water ever other hour. "Switchback Six, do you copy?"

 _Finally a signal_

"Yeah I'm here." I said into my helmet com, I kept falling in and out of transponder range because of the weather. "You guy's miss me?" I noticed a 'longer than average' pause before I heard the response come through. "Switchback six, did you just take the regulations and throw them in the mud? You do realize you are supposed to check in every twenty mikes, right?"

 _Leave it to Keller to get on my case, always with the regulations; still he does have a point. I make a habit of dodging checkups._

"Yeah well, I got distracted; the view was just to die for." I wasn't going to let Keller ruin my fun that easily. "You mean the view of the rain?" Ah so Rook decided to break com silence, how refreshing. "Rook old buddy, you really have to see the rain in all its beauty to understand." I teased back at him. "I'd rather not, six."

 _Well isn't everyone just in a cheery mood today, maybe the weather finally got to them._

"Alright lads let's focus, six are you in position?" Keller raised me over the com again. "In position sir." I responded. I still couldn't tell if I actually was or not, but they didn't need to know that. I switched my visor to thermal imaging to cut through the rain and get a reading on where I was. Across the valley I could see the ship we were surrounding, a wide framed old junker with relatively little in the way of defensive weaponry but still enough to keep it alive if need be.

 _Great, there's water in my damn boots again, typical._

"I have eyes on the _Meridian._ Twenty hostiles at least, all running patrols, can't tell you how many inside." That was Onyx our eyes and ears, the man had an uncanny knowledge of camouflage and survival tactics, he was Switchback's go to guy for anything incursion or stealth. He was in this case; reconnaissance. "Copy that Switchback Two. Rook, do you have the exterior charges placed?" Keller replied. "I do, all charges placed on the south side, I don't think anyone saw me. I'm falling back to Switchback Five." If there was one thing Rook could do it was explosives, I had only known him for a few months but I can't say I had ever seen anyone so proficient with blowing things up.

"Alright team listen up here's the game plan, Switchback Six, Three and I will go in quietly through the upper levels and find the target, Switchback Two you're on over watch, keep our backs covered. Four and Five you run extraction once we're clear. After the team is out of the hot zone, Rook blows the charges and the _Meridian_ is dust. Okay, everybody ready?" Keller finished talking and activated his ready status, I could see everyone's turning from red to green on my head's up display in my visor. I looked down and activated my ready status from my armor's keypad on my left forearm. "Good let's get this done lads, quick and clean." Keller responded after receiving everyone's ready status.

 _Well if there is one thing we're good at it's running a clean op, not to mention making it look like we we're never there to begin with._

I got up and switched back to normal vision on my visor, thermals wouldn't do me much good in close quarters." Switchback Two do you have eyes on me?" I asked. "Affirmative, Six. You have three tangos ahead of you, about twenty meters." I crouched down and used the shadows to cover my advance. I could make out the three shadows as I approached. B1 Battle Droids, the standard for the Separatist Army. "Switchback Six, can you reach the _Meridian_ unseen?" Keller asked over the com. "Affirmative, I can sneak by them, is Three with you?" I responded. "He's here." I waited for the droids to pass then sprinted to the gantry and entered the ship. "I'm inside Keller."

I looked around and took a sudden appreciation for the dry and warm interior of the freighter. "I see you six, we're coming out." Keller said. I could hear his voice coming from right in front of me in the darkness. I saw two figures appear as if developing out of thin air, as their reflective active camouflage disengaged I saw the figures of Keller and Riley appeared before me. Our whole team was part of a special division of the Republic Army known as Shadow Troopers. So every member of Switchback team was fitted with an active camouflage unit in their amour. That unit could reflect light off of our armor and make us appear to be nearly invisible to the naked eye. The units required allot of power, so we couldn't use them for extended periods of time.

 _I'm never going to get used to them just appearing like that_

"Okay so Chief I've got to ask, why the hell does command have us rescuing two troopers anyway? On top of that why did the Sepies' even take them hostage, why not just kill them?" Riley pried at Keller. "Even if I knew Riley, you would be the last one I'd tell. Come on lads let's just get this thing done." Once they were out in the light of the hallway I could see them, we all wore matching armor but we had each made our own personal touches to it. Unlike most units our armor wasn't the standard Republic white. We all wore matte black plates with dark grey accents and unlike our regular army counter-parts we all had dark crimson reflective visors. We were intimidating to look at for sure, but the idea with the Shadow Core was that the enemy never saw us at all.

 _I couldn't agree more Chief. Get this thing done and get back to base so I can drain the water out of my boots._

"On me you two; keep it quiet." Keller ordered and switched to hand signals to motion us to follow him. I took up position alongside Riley. Of all the troopers in Switchback squad I knew Riley the best, he and I were part of the same batch when we were born on Kamino. We went through basic training together and took part in the many battles throughout the Clone Wars. When the offer to join the Shadow Core was given to us we joined together and were eventually placed with the rest of Switchback squad.

As it was I had grown to like my new unit. We were formed only eight months ago but so far we had a nearly perfect track record and worked very well as a team. The six of us were transferred to Jabiim after the Separatist Fleet attacked the planet for a second time and the Republic sent reinforcements to aid in the defense. Six months later we were still here and it seemed like the war for the northern hemisphere would never end. But to spite the endless slog Keller had managed to keep us all alive and we had proven to be very useful in the Republic's campaign to retake the planet.

 _I just hope Onyx is keeping a good eye out, the last thing I need is an ambush with my boots filled with water. I really thought by now I'd get used to this happening._

"Okay the scan said it should be just up here, stack up on the door and set a charge." Keller motioned to a hatch ahead of us. I approached and place a sound canceling charge on the door. "Charged placed, five seconds." I moved behind Riley just as the charge detonated with a muffled thud. Keller moved in through the hatch first and we both followed, as I entered the room I saw the remains of a pair of B2 Super battle droids, larger than the B1's and more heavily armed. But their tough armor and advanced wrist mounted blasters did little to protect them from a two ton hatch that crushed them.

"Keller I think were too late, look over there." Riley walked over to the bodies of two Clone Troopers; our targets. Both men had their helmets removed and blaster shots in their chests. "Killed at point blank range, they were executed." Keller observed. "Riley search them and get their ID tags, we can't take the bodies." Riley began to search the corpses. "Sir why do you think the Sepies' took them anyway? Just to kill them later, it doesn't make any sense. Not just that look at their markings, these men are from the 501st legion. They haven't been on Jabiim since the first couple years of the war." I said as I looked over my fallen comrades. "He's right sir, these men aren't even supposed to be on planet, the 501st is heading into the Core last I heard." Riley made a good point; the legion these men belong too is hundreds of light years from Jabiim.

 _Why are you poor sods so far from your unit? None of this crap makes any sense._

"Sir look, a long range holographic communicator. It was on the troopers." Riley said as he handed the device to Keller. Keller looked at both of us then played back the last message the device received. A small six inch holographic figure appeared from the communicator in Keller's hand. He was a Clone from the same legion. The figure began to speak "This is Captain Rex of the 501st Clone Battalion; this message is highly sensitive information, share this with no one. I am revealing this to all units I can after giving an advanced warning to a select few I could trust. After receiving this message I advise all troopers to cut contact with Republic High Command. I have learned a terrible truth and I fear that it may already be too late, the Republic will soon fall from within and the clone army will be forever changed. To all clones receiving this; you must at all cost remove the inhibitor chips we all have in our brains, many of you do not even know it's there but you must find it and remove it at all costs. I do not know what they will do when they active but what I do know is that there is some dark force at work here and the chips are linked to it. Many of my friends went mad trying to uncover this plot. This is of the utmost importance so I am enacting Emergency Authorization Code: Victor Sierra Niner Niner Delta. Good luck my friends, my brothers and may the force be with you all. Rex out." the figure vanished and the three of us just stared into the empty space.

"Sir?" Riley was shocked I could tell. "What do we do?" I looked at Keller "We follow the Captain's instructions, that code is an authorization very few know, it is reserved for anything that posses an immediate threat to the structure of the Republic. The same Republic we have fought to defend for decades. If Rex is to be believed then we must remove these chips from ourselves and tell no one of this message." Keller dropped the communicator to the floor and crushed it with his boot. "Do you lads trust me?" I'd never known Keller to ask such a thing; he was very bothered by the transmission. "Of course sir." Riley said "I do too sir, and the others will as well." I backed up Riley. "Good, we need to be unanimous in our decision. Let's get out of here and blow this ship." We left the room and proceeded towards our extraction location. "Switchback team we're done, let's get out of here." Keller said over the team com.

We all boarded our specially modified LAAT gunship and escaped the hot zone, as we circled the _Meridian_ from above I looked to Rook with the remote detonator in hand. Then to Keller who simply gave Rook at quick nod before Rook pressed the button and the _Meridian_ erupted into a massive fireball.

 _Damn fine work boys, damn fine._

"Alright lads listen up, we have some troubling news." Keller motioned for the squad to gather as the doors closed and we flew inbound for friendly airspace. "We have a decision to make." I looked at Keller as he removed his helmet as sat down; I had never seen him so troubled in all my life.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own none of the following, all work is purely fan fiction, the likeness of Star Wars is owned by LucasFilm and Disney. None of the following is canon; everything is based off of actual Star Wars cannon.

CHANGING OF THE GUARD

CHAPTER TWO: The Calm before the Storm

Jabiim - Phelleem Sector: Outer Rim (08:00 / 19 BBY)

 _Well, finally. Feels like forever since I had dry feet._

I looked up from where I sat in the back of the gunship; the team was still trying to process everything Keller had just laid on them. I didn't blame them; it was a big decision to make for all of us. We were talking about treason after all; keeping the contents of that message a secret would be considered a crime by Republic law.

 _I've made my mind up, whatever Rex is worried will happen if we leave these chips in our heads must have been important if he was willing to go to such lengths to warn others._

As I put my boots back on and stood up I glanced over at Riley; he and Keller were with me in the decision. I just prayed everyone else would be as well. The gunship's side doors slid back and I looked out across the sky to see us approaching the Republic's main base of operations for this part of Jabiim. This was the northern hemisphere headquarters.

 _It's been to long since I've been back here. I think everyone could use the break._

The base was massive in size and scope as it took command of the entire campaign for nearly half the planet. We still had a few minutes of approach time and we were already flying over defenses and landed ships. The entire complex must have been several kilometers in diameter, with hundreds of buildings and defensive structures. I could see troops in trenches, up on walls and running drills down below; thousands of them. Vehicles and gunships moved about among them. As we made our final approach, we parted through a layer of cloud cover to see the center of it all.

 _There she is. What a fortress._

As we moved through the clouds I could get a good view of the sprawling metropolis that was high command. The massive super fortress had immense walls, probably fifty feet high. Atop towers there were dozens of turbolazer turrets for air and ground defense. Within the exterior walls were hundreds of heavy vehicles and starfighters fueling up or being rearmed. Then came the citadel it's self. The building was massive, towing over everything around it.

 _I'd like to see the Sepies get though all that and even try to take this place._

I looked out in awe, the massive military complex was truly a sight to behold and if the ground defenses weren't enough, overhead there were dozens of low orbiting Venator class Star Destroyers. Those capital ships on their own could lay waste to entire cities. "Makes you think doesn't it?" I heard Onyx from behind me. I turned to see him looking over my shoulder. "What's that?" He grabbed the side of the ship and looked out over the complex below. "It makes you think, I mean look at it all. We've got all this and we've still been here for six months." He looked at me and chuckled. "I know how you feel Onyx. But that just shows how much the Separatists want Jabiim back." Rook said, he was sitting with his legs out over the side of the ship, looking out the other side."All I know Switchback; is that there are warm beds and hot food down there and that's enough to get me excited." Switchback Five chimed in over our helmet com. That was Axle we was the pilot and Switchback's premier in mechanical dilemmas. If there was anything vehicle related we brought it to him. As an added bonus he was also a damn fine pilot. "Roger that Axle." I said with a laugh.

We began our decent to one of the bases landing areas, below us along the tarmac there were rows of gunships and starfighters. This whole place was a bustling city. "Prep for landing Switchback." Axle said as he guided our ship to a vacant landing platform and touched down. The team gathered their gear and we all exited onto the rain soaked ground. The glow of lights reflected off of the black surface as the rain once again began to fall.

 _Oh no, not again. These boots are staying dry._

"Well sure is nice to be back in civilization after two weeks out on the frontlines." Axle smiled as he climbed down from the cockpit. He was always one to be in high spirits. The six of us gathered our gear and headed toward to the entrance, as we approached I couldn't help but noticed the unusual amount of security forces. The door we entered though was flanked by six fully armed clones. "Something happen since we were gone?" Riley looked over at me. "What do you mean six?" I nodded my head at a team of troopers matching down the hallway. "I mean all this, I know it's the regional headquarters but I never remember there being so many guards. On our approach I saw thousands of troops on the perimeter." Keller looked over at me. "There are more, I got a report a few days ago but I never passed it on to you lads, we were in the middle of tracking down the _Meridian_ and you didn't need the distraction. Anyway, this place got hit pretty hard by a pair of droid attack frigates that dropped out of hyperspace right over the perimeter a few days ago." Onyx grimaced. "Well that explains the extra security and half the third fleet in low orbit outside."

We continued to chat as we made our way to our barracks, the team filed in and we powered up the room. Onyx went right to cleaning his equipment as Axle and Rook put down theirs and left for the mess hall. I found my bunk; started putting away my gear and removing my armor, I glanced up briefly to see Riley and Keller across from me doing the same. I put my armor and weapon in my security locker and headed for the showers.

After the four of us cleaned up and attired fresh, clean fatigues we all rounded up and headed to join the others in the mess. We all grabbed some food and found the rest of Switchback. I sat down alongside Rook and dug in; it had been a few weeks since I had enjoyed a hot meal. "Keller, Rook and I discussed what you told us on the ship. We are with you sir." Axle and Rook both looked attentively at Keller and nodded their heads. Keller returned the nod but said nothing. "I've thought about it too sir and I'm in." Onyx said as he gave a quick nod. "Well looks like we are unanimous in our vote, so we're going through with this." Keller looked at all of us. "You lads are all great soldiers and even better brothers, whatever happens I'm glad to have been your captain and honored to have served with all of you. Tomorrow at 03:00 were going to sneak into the medical facility here on base and I'll used my clearance to get us a surgery ward to ourselves. Then the medical droids and Riley will perform the surgery on all of us to remove the inhibitor chips. When its Riley's turn Onyx and I will do his surgery with the droids." Keller looked very stern. "Any questions lads?" Rook leaned in and nodded. "Just one sir, do we leave like the message suggested or are we going to continue the fight?" Keller stood up. "As long as the Republic remains, we will defend it Rook. Do all of you understand that?" Well at straightened in our seats. "Sir, yes sir!" We said in unison. "Alright good lads, eat up men and enjoy your R&R today." Keller stood up and walked off giving us a proud grin as he left.

 _He's a damn fine leader I'll give him that._

Riley and I finished our meal and left the mess leaving the others to their conversation. As we walked out Riley glanced over at me. "You think we're doing the right thing Vaz?" I gave him a perplexed look. "Yeah, do you not?" He sighed and glanced down before responding. "I don't know, I just hope Rex knew what he was talking about." We walked out of the base and towards the barracks. "I've heard stories about him. I think he does Riley, I think he does." Riley gave a quick smile and looked up. We both stopped and took in the view across the military metropolis. "Quite a view isn't it." Riley said. "Sure is mate, quite a view."

I awoke to Keller shaking me in my bunk. "It's time Vaz, get ready." Keller moved across the room to rouse Axle and Rook. I sat up and moved to open my locker. "Leave it son, just put on some fatigues, remember were going to have to put you under." Keller said as he noticed me. "He's right six, the last thing I need while performing brain surgery is you wearing body armor." Riley said with a chuckle. He was already dressed and prepping a set of tools for the operations. Onyx jumped down from the bunk above me. "How long is this going to take Riley?" Riley smirked and looked over at him. "Well eagle eye, if everything goes to plan I should have all of you in and out in about two hours. Keller is running security to keep any curious personal out of the operations room but it's early so we should be fine." I got up and put on a uniform. Once the team was ready we headed for the medical facility, careful to keep quiet and silent.

 _The one time I have needed to remain unseen since we arrived and I don't have my armor with light bending technology built in to it on, typical._

"Okay, everyone file inside. I'll keep watch." Keller motioned us through the door into the operating room. Riley sealed the door and powered the room up, activating the surgery droids. They were a pair of cheery floating medical droids; they both greeted everyone and began to assist Riley. "Rook, you and Axle are first I can do two at a time with the droids help, lie down on the beds and we'll get started." Rook and Axle both lay down on the beds and the droids applied them with a breathable anesthetic. Rook glanced over at me and gave the thumbs up, I grinned back to him as he fell unconscious. "Hope you've got steady hands Riley, Rook won't be happy if you mess up his brain." I joked over to him from the corner. He gave me an annoyed look and rolled his eyes before getting to work. "You know I'm the team medic for a reason." He chuckled.

 _Better not mess up my brain or I'm be really upset, well that or insane._

After about a half hour Riley put down his tools and looked up grinning from ear to ear. "Two down." He said. "Okay you guys, wake them up." Riley motioned to his droid assistants. "Of course sir." They both responded in their automaton voices. They hovered around to the heads of each clone and applied a drug to wake them. "The Patients are waking doctor." Riley laughed "Here that Vaz, I'm a doctor now." I rolled my eyes and moved to help Axle off the operation bed. He looked up at me. "How'd he do?" I looked at Riley; still chuckling to himself. "He did fine. They got the chips out of both of you, no problems."

After Rook and Axle were dealt with, Riley operated on Keller and Onyx ensuring he went over the surgery with them for when they had to perform it on him. Once they were done I was next. "Well last but not least good buddy, get up on the bed and lay down." I looked over to him as I lay on the operating bed. "See technically your last Riley." He walked over with one of the droids hovering in his wake. "True and those two better not mess up." Keller huffed and Onyx crossed his arms. "You know we're right here right?" He said in an irritated tone. Riley smirked. "Oh I know." He motioned for his assistants. "Apply the anesthetic." The droid placed a mask over my mouth and instructed me to breathe normally. I felt my consciousness fading as my vision blurred and darkened. My body relaxed and I closed my eyes feeling myself drifting off. I felt a cold feeling of nothingness and everything faded into black.

 _Hello darkness, my old friend._

I awoke to find myself in a separate room then before, as I opened my eyes I saw Axle sitting across from me. "Morning sunshine, how'd you sleep?" He smiled as I raised my head up and slowly sat up on the bed. "Did he get it out?" I asked, still groggy. "He sure did, they're in there working on his right now." I rubbed my temples and cleared my vision. One of the droids was in the room as well, I assumed it woke me. "Are you feeling well CT-3866?" I glared at the droid, I hated when anyone used my designation number instead of my name. "It's Vaz, and yes I'm fine." The droid spun around and headed into the operation room. "I've never liked droids." I grumbled as I stood up and straightened my uniform. "Yeah well, that's to be expected after spending a decade fighting them." Axle chuckled. I shared in the laugh and raised my hand up to my right side temple to feel the scar from the operation. I was a short slit and still sore to the touch.

Keller walked in from the adjacent room. "Well my first major brain surgery is a success, thank you modern medical technology." He laughed and sat down letting out a deep breath and smiling at us. We smiled back. "Good job sir." He grinned again. "Thanks lads, he should be waking now if you want to go see him." We all got up and walked into the operation room, Riley was already awake and sitting up. Onyx greeted us as he cleaned up and deactivated the droids. "I'd say a job well done to all." Keller said. "I'd agree. Now we should scrub the security logs and power down the room." Onyx said as he walked over. We all gathered our things and shut down the room. Then made our way discreetly back to the barracks. Keller checked the computer as we entered. "Its 04:45 well done Switchback team, we're ahead of schedule." Everyone laughed and lay down to rest for a few hours before morning came.

 _I damn well hope all that was worth it Captain Rex._

My eyes quickly opened as I heard a loud thunderous boom from outside the barracks. I got up to see the emergency lights in the room activate and the interior change to a dark red glow. Everyone else had awoken to the sound too. "What the hell was that?!" Axle said as he jumped off his bunk. I got up and felt the room shake as a loud shockwave hit the building. Just then the base's intercom opened up. "All units report to combat stations! This is not a drill! I repeat; all units to combat stations immediately! We are under attack, this is not a drill!

 _Let's get to work._


End file.
